Everything you need to know about the new Airbnb Adventures

Since launching in 2008, Airbnb has steadily diluted the holiday accommodation market, pulling the rug from under the feet of pricey hotel groups and offering a world-wide, cheaper alternative for where to stay on your travels. On the website, you can punch in the postcode of 81,000 cities across the world and find whole properties or rooms being rented out by locals – for stays ranging from one night to six months in length. There are around five million spaces available to stay in total, and the company has a presence in 191 of the 195 countries in the world.

A cowboy ranch on Airbnb in the American Wild West

Now, the hospitality service is expanding further to offer those staying in certain properties the chance to partake in ‘bucket list-worthy’ experiences, organised by a local expert. Called Airbnb Adventures, the experiences consist of multi-day trips on which groups are taken off-the-beaten-path by a local guide and immersed in ‘natural wonders, cultures and communities’.

Airbnb Adventures includes the chance to camp off a cliff in Colorado

There are already 200 adventures available to choose from. Wide-eyed explorers might jump at the chance to track lions on foot or trek deep into the Amazon jungle. Those looking for a back-to-basics experience, meanwhile, might take this chance to live like a cowboy in the American Wild West, camp on the side of a cliff in Colorado or kayak between Swedish Islands. Culture vultures could experience the natural wonders of Oman or sing to the stars on a musical camping in the Californian desert, and those simply up for a laugh can search for Sasquatch in Washington.

A group experiencing Oman through an Airbnb Adventure

The cost of the Adventures vary, depending on the experience and length of stay. According to Airbnb, prices currently range from $79 (£62) for an overnight trip to $5,000 (£3,942) for a 10-day trek, with the average price of Adventures costing $588 (£463) for a three-day trip.

All Adventures are for small groups of 12 guests or less and, to ensure safety standards are met, Airbnb has been advised by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). That said, the individual Adventures are arranged by Airbnb hosts, who control when and where they take guests, the itinerary of the trips, what services they offer and what they charge. As with all Airbnb stays, flights are not included, but meals and activities as well as accommodation are covered in the cost of an Airbnb Adventure.

You can live like a cowboy through an Airbnb Adventure

To mark the launch of Airbnb Adventures, the company is offering a limited number of individuals the opportunity to join an 80-day trip around the world, which includes 18 countries spanning six continents. The application process to join the experience is open now and the trip is departing from London on 1 September.

Airbnb Adventures follows on from Airbnb Experiences, which launched in 2016, offering guests the chance to book activities with local guides, including cooking classes, guided tours, and meetups.

Here's to more adventure-filled holidays.